Safe Corridor in Black Sea for Ships With Grain to Start Operating in Coming Weeks - Source

ISTANBUL (Sputnik) - A safe corridor for the passage of ships with grain in the Black Sea will begin to operate in the coming weeks, a source familiar with the Istanbul talks said.

A United Nations source said on Thursday that all issues regarding the Ukraine grain deal had been resolved, adding that the agreement will be signed in Istanbul on Friday.

"I hope that [it will be] in the coming weeks," the source said when asked when the corridor is planned to be launched.

When asked whether all guarantees from parties to the talks have already been received, the source answered in the affirmative.

The process of preparing for the signing of the document on the "grain issue" was difficult, a source familiar with the Istanbul talks said.

"Of course, there were difficulties, and until the last moment. Negotiations in this sense helped to find consensus, common ground," the source added.

He went on to say that there were a lot of false information related to the talks, but all parties, in particular Russia, showed a very constructive approach.

Also, the source said that Turkey has received guarantees from the parties to the Istanbul negotiations that the agreements on the export of Ukrainian grain will not be used for military purposes.

"We have received such guarantees, and [they] will be reflected in the final document," the source said.

Any violation of agreements on the "grain issue" will lead to disaster, and the parties to the Istanbul negotiations understand this, the source emphasized.

Grain supplies from Ukraine ceased earlier this year amid Russia's special military operation in the country, raising concerns about acute food shortages across the globe. The West has been blaming Russia for blocking shipments of grain, sunflower and fertilizers from Ukraine. Moscow has repeatedly denied the accusations, noting that the crisis was provoked by Ukrainian forces, who had mined the Black Sea ports. The Kremlin also stressed that Western sanctions against Russian agricultural exports have contributed to the issue.